Couple's business is pet project

When Sarah and Trip Harrison talked about what kind of business they wanted to open, they had one requirement: They had to be able to take their dogs to the office.

"We knew whatever we chose to do, the dogs had to come to work," Sarah Harrison said.

Harley already hung out at Sarah's office all day, and they had just adopted Rowdy when they began talking about a career change. The Harrisons were co-owners of a contracting business.

The couple wound up with the perfect solution. They opened a shop in November 2008 for dog and cat supplies, food and goodies, surrounding Harley and Rowdy with all the treats, toys and company they could wish for. The labs even have a wall of items highlighted as "Rowdy tested and Harley approved" for shoppers seeking recommendations.

The Hound's Meow is in a strip mall at 16311 N. Florida Ave., north of Bearss. Originally it went by the Dog's Meow, but the Harrisons changed it after a trademark conflict with a shop owner in Utah.

Now it is a spot for natural products, including raw food, spa-style grooming items and little splurges as well as the basics. Sarah Harrison thinks of it as a "box-tique" rather than a boutique.

"We have lots of luxury specialty items, but we keep all the basics, too," Harrison said.

A turquoise Sniffany dog bed is available to high-end pooches, or dog owners can select a simpler chocolate brown pad for sleeping. A wall of collars offers pirate prints, camouflage and plaid but also less expensive plain colors. Customers may come in for food, shampoos and medicine or check out the dog life-jackets or Doggles - goggles that can prevent cataracts among pooches that like sticking their heads out vehicle windows, Harrison said.

Meow Town, a cats-only section, is smaller because the dog owners do most of the spending, Harrison said. It features mats to go under pet dishes, bowls asking "Did I hear a can opener?" and shelves of catnip, from sprays to cloth cigars stuffed with the herb.

End caps are shaped like bones, fish or fire hydrants, and sections have clever names such as I Wanna Go, Too for pet carriers, Oops for bathroom accidents and Rubba Dub Dub for grooming.

The pet food is mostly natural, organic or grain-free. Hound's Meow even has a freezer for dog and cat owners who want their pet on a raw diet. The meats come in frozen patties that you can thaw and feed. The shop also has a refrigerator of fresh cooked items.

Harrison urges pet owners to get away from cheap mass-market food that contain fillers, animal byproducts or preservatives that might be harmful to pets. "The junky stuff is not that much cheaper than the good stuff," she said.

Sarah and Trip Harrison, both 29, met at a high school party. She attended Chamberlain; he went to Jesuit. They got married after college and began working together at a contracting business.

"I enjoyed running a business, but it wasn't my passion," she said.

They started to debate other businesses they could open, from an idea for an "outdoor maid" to dog toy manufacturers.

"We had a whole folder full of ideas," Trip Harrison said.

Creating dog toys seemed perfect, but after researching it, they realized it would take a lot of sales and time before they could consider living off the business. But they saw a need for a pet supply store in Lutz that merged the practical with the fun.

Though the economy has dampened sales everywhere, pet businesses are more recession-proof than other industries, Sarah Harrison said. Customers - especially empty-nesters who think of their pets as their babies - continue to spend on their pets.

Hound's Meow also offers grooming Tuesdays through Saturdays and special events such as pet-oriented book signings or Yappy Hours for socializing and fundraising for animal causes.

The business has started to turn a profit, Harrison said. She and her husband both put in about 80 hours a week.

"Every month is better than the last," she said. "But we still have to eat peanut butter and jelly."